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"Thank you," she managed, taking a small bite of the dessert. The rich chocolate melted on her tongue, followed by an explosion of tart berries that made her close her eyes in appreciation. "This is incredible."

"I'm pleased you approve." Orion watched her with undisguised interest. "How are you finding your accommodations thus far?"

Seraphina dabbed her lips with a napkin. "The observatory is magnificent. I've never seen telescopes that advanced outside of major research facilities."

"You're an astronomer." He made it a statement, not a question. "What drew you to the stars?"

The familiar topic helped calm her racing pulse. "I've been fascinated by them since I was a child. My father would take me camping in the desert, away from city lights, and we'd spend hours identifying constellations." She took another bite of the dessert, savoring the complex flavors. "There's somethingcomforting about their constancy, you know? No matter what chaos happens here on Earth, the stars remain unchanged, following patterns we can predict and understand."

"Some things defy understanding, though." Orion leaned closer, and Seraphina caught his scent again – something wild and earthy. "Like your visions."

"How do you—" She stopped herself. "Macie knew about them."

"She's perceptive." He nodded. "So, tell me more about your work. Do you teach or do research?"

"Research primarily. I study stellar nucleosynthesis – how stars create elements through fusion." She found herself relaxing despite her situation, drawn in by his genuine interest. "It's fascinating to think that every atom in our bodies was once forged in the heart of a star."

"So we're all made of stardust," Orion mused, his voice deepening. "That explains the light I see in you."

Seraphina nearly choked on her dessert at the unexpected compliment. She looked up to find him watching her with a burning intensity that made her heart skip.

"That's a rather poetic way of looking at basic astrophysics," she managed.

"I find that science and poetry often describe the same truths, just in different languages," he said, watching as she took the last bite of her dessert. "Perhaps you could show me your favorite constellations sometime. The view from the observatory tower is unparalleled on clear nights."

The invitation hung between them, weighted with possibilities that Seraphina wasn't ready to examine. Part of her wanted to accept immediately, while another part reminded her of the absurdity of her situation.

EIGHT

ORION

Orion leaned closer to Seraphina, his voice dropping to a timbre reserved for her alone. "The observatory is yours to use whenever you wish."

The candlelight caught the flecks of gold in her green eyes as he watched her reaction to his offer. Her lips parted with unspoken interest. His wolf purred with satisfaction at her response.

His hand moved across the polished mahogany table toward hers, drawn by an instinct older than civilization itself. He stopped himself mere inches from her skin. Too soon. She still viewed him as her captor, not her destined mate. The delicate bond forming between them needed nurturing, not force. Still, his wolf chafed at the restraint.

Her scent shifted subtly – jasmine with an undercurrent of something warmer, more primal. Her pulse quickened visibly at the base of her throat, and Orion found himself leaning even closer, his face near enough to feel the warmth radiating from her skin. The emerald of her eyes darkened as her pupils expanded, a physical reaction she couldn't control.

"I'd like that," she whispered, her voice carrying a huskiness that sent a jolt through his core. "The stars have always made more sense to me than people."

Orion felt the corner of his mouth lift. "Perhaps we can change that... about the people part."

The air between them crackled with potential and possibility. Four hundred years of solitude, and now this woman – human, bewildered, but magnificent – sat within his reach. His wolf paced anxiously beneath his skin.

"Your Majesty."

Orion didn't turn at first, refusing to break the moment. Jared, his communications councilman, cleared his throat more forcefully.

"Your Majesty, forgive me, but there's an urgent matter requiring your attention."

Orion's jaw tightened, a muscle flexing visibly beneath his neatly trimmed beard. He pulled back from Seraphina with physical effort, her confused expression twisting something in his chest.

"This had better warrant interrupting my dinner, Jared." His voice carried no hint of the warmth he'd shown moments before.

"Perhaps somewhere private, sire." Jared's eyes flicked meaningfully to Seraphina.

Orion stood forcefully, the chair legs scraping against the floor. "Excuse me, Seraphina. It seems the world cannot survive without my attention even for one meal."